Consumer confidence pulls back slightly in December
NEW YORK -- Anxiety about the job market is causing consumer confidence levels to dip, while housing sales also are slowing. But economists aren't worried - they say the outlook for improvement remains rosy, and the pullbacks are a normal kink in the economy's path to recovery.

Treasury Department suggest new rules for tax shelter advisers
WASHINGTON -- Lawyers, accountants and other tax advisers would be required to take certain steps when weighing in on a client's use of a tax shelter, the Bush administration proposed Monday in its latest effort to crack down on dubious tax-avoidance schemes.

Freshman lifts Clemson
CLEMSON, S.C. - As the final seconds ticked away from his team's victory over Boston College on Tuesday night, Vernon Hamilton had no idea he was just one assist from a triple-double.

Sugar Bowl: Oklahoma defends title claim
NEW ORLEANS -- Oklahoma defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek has heard all the talk about whether the 12-1 Sooners - No. 1 in the Bowl Championship Series standings but No. 3 in the Associated Press poll - deserve to be here playing LSU for the BCS national title.

College bowl game overview
MUSIC CITY BOWL- WISCONSIN (7-5) vs. AUBURN (7-5) The Coliseum, Nashville, Tenn., Noon, ESPN COACHES: Barry Alvarez (99-66-4 in 14th year at Wisconsin) and Tommy Tuberville (37-24 in 5th year at Auburn).

Oddsmakers love SEC - except in national championship game
ATLANTA -- The Las Vegas oddsmakers are in love with the Southeastern Conference this bowl season in every game except the one that matters most - the Sugar Bowl national championship game between second-ranked LSU and No. 3 Oklahoma.

Taylor hoping for repeat performance against FSU
MIAMI -- Florida State coach Bobby Bowden placed his hand on his face and tilted his head back slightly, trying to remember the last player to "intimidate" his offense like All-American safety Sean Taylor did in October.

New Year's resolutions
There's a Web site for just about everything these days, including one on how to keep your New Year's resolutions. And, actually, the advice is pretty good. First, it lists the most frequently made resolutions:

DOE perils Ga. water
It's true, as Savannah River Site manager Jeffrey Allison says, that the state of South Carolina's radiation monitoring program is robust, thorough and detailed.

Nature's quiet terrorist
What would the public outcry be like if terrorists were killing 30,000 Americans a year - on U.S. soil?

People in the News
LONDON -- Rock guitarist Pete Townshend considered suicide after his arrest on suspicion of possessing child pornography, a newspaper quoted him as saying.

Nasdaq, Dow up as Wall Street extends year's advance
NEW YORK -- The Nasdaq composite index burst past the 2,000 milestone Monday, and the Dow Jones industrials surged more than 120 points as investors shook off concerns about the impact of mad cow disease and looked optimistically toward 2004.

Stocks mixed in hesitant year-end trading
NEW YORK -- Blue chip shares pulled back, but most stocks finished higher Tuesday, extending a year-end rally that has propelled major market measures to the highest levels in nearly two years.

Company produces King of cookbooks
NEW YORK - To those of you for whom baked goods come wrapped in plastic, to whom rolling pins are merely wielded by cartoon battle-axes and ovens are convenient places to store household bric-a-brac - King Arthur flour may be just an ingredient.

Zesty pork chili is a hot item
Lean pork tenderloin cooks up tender in just 5 minutes, yet delivers simmered-all-day flavor. That's good news for times when you need a robust, warming meal at short notice on a cold winter day.

Recipe lets vegetables break gourmet ground
CONCORD, N.H. - Just once I'd like to throw a glamorous New Year's Eve party, something a notch or two above sitting on the couch with my wife, a pizza, a stack of DVDs and the obligatory bubbly.

Plants cheer up dark corners
The darkest days are upon us, making the darkest rooms that much darker. Let's cheer up those dark rooms with living plants and let's avoid using artificial lights in the process. Artificial light is of limited use, either because plants must be set within just a few inches of them or because they cast an eerie glow over plants and furniture. In either case, darkness might be more hospitable.

AHL suspends three Philadelphia players for game-ending brawl
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Three members of the Philadelphia Phantoms were suspended by the AHL on Tuesday for their roles in a game-ending brawl against the Binghamton Senators over the weekend that forced officials to end the game early because there weren't enough players to continue.

Give dinner a French twist in slow cooker
Although we enjoy fairly mild winters here in the South, January's cooler weather still calls for stick-to-your-ribs fare. This week's recipe for Slow Cooker Cassoulet was inspired by a classic French preparation of beans, sausage and other meats but is quickly assembled in your slow cooker.

Lottery message erodes drive of capable people
Henry T. Edmondson's guest column of Dec. 18, "Georgia Lottery a victim of its own success," described several problems related to the Georgia Lottery. He described the broad and increasing demand for HOPE Scholarship funds, that the greatest source of lottery income is from low-income people and the very low probability of significant winnings. I agree and would like to extend his remarks.
Bill Wolff, Martinez, Ga.

Writer's ideology should be kept to himself
Regarding the Dec. 10 letter by high-school English teacher R. Brian Clardy, "Describing Bush as spoiled is silly," and his attack on Anne Cook's Nov. 23 letter, "Bush acts as though he was a stubborn child":
Pastor Wesley G. Ellis, Hephzibah, Ga.

Don't live in world with blinders on; keep X-Mart closed
I've read recent articles concerning the X-Mart on Gordon Highway - some against but, unfortunately, most in favor of keeping open such a depraved odious pit of pornography. I would like to point out to those who are for such trash that most problems stem from reading or watching pornography.
Barbara A. Mohler, Augusta

Reforms should help doctors, not worry them
It never ceases to amaze me how "experts" like Allison Kelly, (Dec. 21 guest column, "Georgia needs reforms in both insurance, health-care industries") have answers to our health-care problems while never having practiced a single minute of patient care.
James C. Sherman, M.D., Augusta

Events help ring in new year
Tonight's the night. Whether you mourn its passing or celebrate its demise, 2003 is officially kaput in a matter of hours. If you still have no plans for tonight, here are some local establishments where you can look for a loved one to smooch when the clock hits midnight:

Experts: Antiquated flu vaccine system needs updating
SAN FRANCISCO -- The nation's anxiety over the dwindling supply of flu shots has exposed an antiquated manufacturing system that depends on 90 million fertilized chicken eggs and a 9-month process to produce each year's batch of influenza vaccines.

In the know
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words and dream live on with a legacy longer than the history books can record.

Seniors calendar
The Seniors Calendar lists activities and groups of interest to senior citizens. Please call the service agencies for information. To have your activity listed, write to Seniors Calendar, The Augusta Chronicle, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, GA 30903-1928. Send a fax to 722-7403 or e-mail to feature@augustachronicle.com. Please include the name and phone number of a contact person.

Peek
Ready for a road trip? Sevendust rocks Atlanta's Tabernacle in an all-ages show at 8 p.m. Saturday. Ill Nino and Element 80 open at the Tabernacle, 152 Luckie St., downtown. Tickets cost $22 and are available through Ticketmaster outlets. See the Web site www.sevendust.com.

In the know
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words and dream live on with a legacy longer than the history books can record.

Compubug's Dubious Achievement Awards
It's that time of year when nothing much is happening, but newspapers still have to fill all that white space around the ads anyway, so herewith the annual Compubug Dubious Achievement in Personal Computing Awards.

Fears, abuse accompany proliferation of Internet maps
Serial killer Maury Travis used an online mapping service to show a newspaper reporter where he dumped a body. A former Las Vegas exotic dancer convicted of stalking and harassing her ex-lover posted a map on the Web with directions to the married man's home.

Several drugs fight flu
Q: My pharmacist said that there are effective oral medicines for the flu, but they require a prescription. I didn't manage to get a flu shot this year before they ran out. What can you tell me about flu drugs?

Judge has not earned degree
AIKEN - Aiken County's primary bond court judge is still seeking the college degree he promised to earn when appointed to the post last year, drawing an anonymous complaint to his legislative sponsor, state Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Clearwater.

Judge sentences man to prison
Saying there's no doubt an Augusta man was intent on rape after breaking into a neighbor's home and crawling naked into her bed, a judge ordered him to register as a sex offender.

Perdue pushes college savings plan
ATLANTA - Georgia parents and grandparents are being encouraged to set up a tax-free, state-run savings plan to acquire money for college expenses in light of the lottery-funded HOPE scholarship's money woes.

Mental health center restarts CEO search
The board of a once-troubled Augusta mental health center voted Tuesday to reopen its search for a permanent CEO. In the meantime, it is looking at whether to swap administrative services with a sister institution in Athens-Clarke County.

City confronts utility issue
Grovetown is at a crossroads when it comes to the lifeline of the city's growth: borrow more money to expand water and sewer infrastructure and possibly increase rates, or hand over control to the county.

Footprints lead to arrest in slaying
AIKEN - Footprints from the scene of last week's abduction of a teenage couple led investigators to the doorstep of their primary suspect in the slaying of one of the victims, according to court documents.

Sharpton visits Spartanburg church
SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- The Rev. Al Sharpton criticized President Bush and the war in Iraq during a campaign stop Sunday at a Spartanburg church.

Missing parts delay arrival
AIKEN - A nuclear reactor heading for burial at a dump in Barnwell remained afloat Tuesday on the Savannah River because trailer parts needed to haul the 820-ton pressure vessel were missing, officials said.

New cancer center caters to patients' needs
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Workers are perched atop ladders, boxes are being unpacked and the smell of paint lingers at a new cancer center designed to cater to patients' every need.

Across South Carolina
COLUMBIA - A man accused of shooting a state trooper will be charged with assault and battery with intent to kill and possession of a stolen vehicle after he is released from the hospital, authorities said.

Across the area
Employees and witnesses at the McDonald's, at 4478 Columbia Road, told police that a man wearing a gray stocking over his head and grasping a 12- to 14-inch hunting knife entered the restaurant at about 8 p.m. Sunday and demanded money from a cashier.

Kroger deal will bulldoze Aiken office
AIKEN - After weeks of uncertainty about the status of its lease, an official with American Red Cross Blood Services said Monday that the blood donation center on Whiskey Road is closing its doors to make way for bulldozers and a redevelopment plan.

Kolb's new contract kicks in
After months of speculation about Augusta Administrator George Kolb's employment future, his contract was automatically extended for another year Monday when a motion not to renew it failed.

Federal screeners at airport lose time
A move to change some of Augusta Regional Airport's federal baggage screeners to part-time workers within the past three months has caused the Transportation Security Administration to examine morale problems at the airport.

Kershaw County schools look for ways to improve
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The Kershaw County School District has sought the input of teachers, parents, board members, district staff and community representatives to determine ways the district could improve.

Rants and raves
MAYBE WE CAN'T find weapons of mass destruction because they were already used. Did we actually care if they found gas in Auschwitz or the dead bodies?

News you can use
Dec. 31, 1944 Plans for post-war construction of the $35.3 million Clarks Hill basin and hydroelectric project, as provided in the flood control bill, which became law recently with the signature of President Roosevelt, received support yesterday when assurance was given in Washington that sufficient money proved for a 'definite project plan' would be made available. Lester S. Moody, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, said in a long-distance telephone message from the capital that Maj. Gen. Thomas Robins, of the Corps of Engineers, had pledged 'several hundred thousand dollars' for preliminary surveys.

Woman accused of murder posts bond
ELKTON, Md. -- A North Carolina woman charged with murder after two bodies were found in a car she was riding in has posted bond and returned to the state, officials said.

State levies fines over erosion
Two Columbia County developers will pay fines totaling $18,250 and correct erosion and sediment violations that damaged a lake at the Ivy Falls Plantation subdivision near Grovetown.

Rants and Raves
I'M CALLING TO ask the question. I wonder who or what we will find first: Amelia Earhart, D.B. Cooper, Jimmy Hoffa, bin Laden, WMD, the mad cow or, hopefully, common sense?

Nursing home neglect is target
A third and final sub-committee hearing will be in Atlanta during the next legislative session, after which the bill will go before the House Human Relations and Aging Committee.

Across Georgia
ATLANTA - Twenty-four people - seven more than predicted - were killed in traffic accidents on Georgia roads during the holiday weekend, state troopers said.

Owners await financial impact
ERHARDT, S.C. - Bamberg County cattlemen Todd Rentz and his brother Trent are brave, but they are also anxious about the potential impact the United States' first case of mad cow disease will have on prices when they start shipping calves in five months.

Law has emerged as compromise for juries
ATLANTA -- A 10-year-old law that allows juries to sentence murderers to life in prison without parole has become an agreeable alternative to the death penalty.

CART sale could be approved by late January
INDIANAPOLIS -- The CART racing series could win court approval of its proposed sale to a group of team owners by Jan. 28 under a plan a bankruptcy judge approved Tuesday.

Bryant's court case chosen story of 2003
The young hotel worker's accusation was shocking enough: Thrilled by a chance encounter with a celebrity, she went to his room only to be forced over a chair and sexually assaulted.

Artest misses morning shootaround
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest missed the team's morning shootaround for Monday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies because he overslept, two nights after being benched during a loss to New Jersey.

Middle Tennessee tops S. Carolina St.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Tommy Gunn scored 18 of his season-high 23 points in the first half as Middle Tennessee defeated South Carolina State 86-76 Tuesday night in the consolation game of the Dr Pepper Classic.

La Salle rolls past S. Carolina St.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Gary Neal scored 23 points and La Salle shot 53 percent from the floor in a 76-63 victory Monday over South Carolina State in the first round of the Dr Pepper Classic.

Overtime
In Denver, a major safety switch was missing from an escalator when it malfunctioned at Coors Field this summer, injuring dozens of baseball fans, city inspectors said Tuesday.

Bush, other world leaders invited to Olympics
ATHENS, Greece -- President Bush and dozens of other world leaders were formally invited to the Athens Olympics on Tuesday, with Greek Premier Costas Simitis asking them to "share the unique Olympic experience."

Government announces ban on ephedra
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is banning the sale of ephedra early next year and urged consumers to immediately stop using the herbal weight control supplement that was linked to the death of a Baltimore Orioles pitcher.

Atlanta couldn't overcome losing Vick
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- After Michael Vick broke his right leg four months ago, left tackle Bob Whitfield insisted the Atlanta Falcons were more than a one-man team.

Suggs wins defensive rookie honors
Although he didn't start until the season finale, Terrell Suggs was so impressive for the Baltimore Ravens that he earned The Associated Press' NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award Tuesday.

Burundi's papal nuncio killed, Vatican says
VATICAN CITY -- The pope's ambassador in Burundi was shot and killed by gunmen who opened fire at his car in the East African nation, the Vatican and a missionary news agency said Monday.

Harvard professor joins the buzz about Mary Magdalene
Imagine that alongside Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, your New Testament includes a fifth Gospel where "seven Powers of Wrath" interrogate the human soul, accusing it of being a "human-killer" and "space-conqueror."

Georgia's Howard not at game
ORLANDO, Fla. - Georgia freshman linebacker Marcus Howard was arrested earlier this month for fighting in a campus parking lot with another student, leading coach Mark Richt to leave him behind for the Bulldogs' trip to Florida for Thursday's Capital One Bowl (1 p.m., ABC-Ch. 6).

International golf academy calls area home
The International Golf Academy is exactly what it says it is: a place where students from around the world come for state-of-the-art instruction, with the goal of one day being a tour professional.

4-1-1
Still do not know what Kwanzaa means? The official Kwanzaa site, www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org, is a great resource for people unfamiliar with the annual celebration of family, community and culture.

Eating right helps you feel better
Bring out the old Barbie, Tonka Truck and Scooby Doo lunchboxes; it is time for a new routine. Sure, we are no longer in elementary school, but aside from the lunchboxes being a lot more fashionable than a tray that has seen better days, there is a great reason to bring your lunch: cafeteria food.

Celebrity's is good hangout spot
Don't you hate when Saturday afternoon arrives, a time of reprieve from the rigors of school, and you cannot think of how to spend your weekend? A new club may offer a safe place for teens to meet and party.

Boy should tell girl why he sent flowers
THIS WEEK'S PROBLEM: Recently I started "talking" to a girl, and things seemed to be going perfectly. I sent her some flowers, and things just got weird. She said she didn't understand what they were supposed to mean, and things have gone downhill since then. What happened? And now what do I do?